Contactless operation of devices using a pointing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12039112-B2
Application number	US-202318198737-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2023
Priority date	Apr 9, 2021
Publication date	Jul 16, 2024
Grant date	Jul 16, 2024

Abstract

Contactless operation of a device is provided via a mobile pointing apparatus and a receiving arrangement associated with the device. The mobile pointing apparatus includes a signal emitter for emitting an optical or electromagnetic signal, and the receiving arrangement associated with the device determines a pointing target of the mobile pointing apparatus relative to the device based on the signal emitted by the mobile pointing apparatus and triggers a function of the device based on the pointing target of the mobile pointing apparatus.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for contactless operation of a device, comprising:
an electromagnetic pointing apparatus, comprising at least one electromagnetic signal emitter configured to emit a radar signal;
at least three receivers configured to receive the radar signal emitted by the at least one electromagnetic signal emitter; and
a processor configured to:
determine a pointing target of the electromagnetic pointing apparatus relative to the device based on the received radar signal; and
trigger a function of the device based on the determined pointing target of the electromagnetic pointing apparatus.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to compare the radar signal with a reference signal.

3. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an electromagnetic signal emitter associated with the device configured to emit a trigger signal to cause the electromagnetic pointing apparatus to emit the radar signal from the at least one electromagnetic signal emitter.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to perform a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) method for determining a distance between the at least one electromagnetic signal emitter of the electromagnetic pointing apparatus and the at least three receivers.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic pointing apparatus further comprises at least a second signal emitter configured to emit a second radar signal and/or a sensor for determining an inclination of the electromagnetic pointing apparatus;
wherein the electromagnetic pointing apparatus is further configured to determine a pointing axis of the electromagnetic pointing apparatus.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic pointing apparatus further comprises:
at least one push-button; and
a modulator configured to modulate information on the radar signal emitted by the at least one electromagnetic signal emitter in response to actuation of the at least one push-button.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic pointing apparatus further comprises a fingerprint scanner and/or a communication device configured to communicate with a fingerprint sensor wearable under a glove of an operator.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least three receivers are arranged at the device or arranged remotely relative to the device with a defined spatial relationship thereto.

9. A method for contactless operation of a device, comprising:
emitting, by at least one electromagnetic signal emitter of an electromagnetic pointing apparatus, a radar signal;
receiving, by at least three receivers, the radar signal emitted by the at least one electromagnetic signal emitter;
determining, by a processor, a pointing target of the electromagnetic pointing apparatus relative to the device based on the received radar signal; and
triggering, by the processor, a function of the device based on the determined pointing target of the electromagnetic pointing apparatus.

10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
comparing the radar signal with a reference signal.

11. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
emitting, by an electromagnetic signal emitter associated with the device, a trigger signal to cause the electromagnetic pointing apparatus to emit the radar signal from the at least one electromagnetic signal emitter.

12. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
performing, by the processor, a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) method for determining a distance between the at least one electromagnetic signal emitter of the electromagnetic pointing apparatus and the at least three receivers.

13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the electromagnetic pointing apparatus further comprises at least a second signal emitter configured to emit a second radar signal and/or a sensor for determining an inclination of the electromagnetic pointing apparatus; and
wherein the method further comprises: determining, by the electromagnetic pointing apparatus, a pointing axis of the electromagnetic pointing apparatus.

14. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the electromagnetic pointing apparatus further comprises at least one push-button and a modulator; and
wherein the method further comprises: modulating, by the modulator, information on the radar signal emitted by the at least one electromagnetic signal emitter in response to actuation of the at least one push-button.

15. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the electromagnetic pointing apparatus further comprises a fingerprint scanner and/or a communication device configured to communicate with a fingerprint sensor wearable under a glove of an operator.

16. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the at least three receivers are arranged at the device or arranged remotely relative to the device with a defined spatial relationship thereto.

17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums having processor-executable instructions stored thereon for contactless operation of a device, wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed, facilitate performance of the following:
emitting, by at least one electromagnetic signal emitter of an electromagnetic pointing apparatus, a radar signal;
receiving, by at least three receivers, the radar signal emitted by the at least one electromagnetic signal emitter;
determining, by a processor, a pointing target of the electromagnetic pointing apparatus relative to the device based on the received radar signal; and
triggering, by the processor, a function of the device based on the determined pointing target of the electromagnetic pointing apparatus.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums according to claim 17 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed, further facilitate performance of the following:
comparing the radar signal with a reference signal.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums according to claim 17 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed, further facilitate performance of the following:
emitting, by an electromagnetic signal emitter associated with the device, a trigger signal to cause the electromagnetic pointing apparatus to emit the radar signal from the at least one electromagnetic signal emitter.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums according to claim 17 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed, further facilitate performance of the following:
performing, by the processor, a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) method for determining a distance between the at least one electromagnetic signal emitter of the electromagnetic pointing apparatus and the at least three receivers.

Assignees

• Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland Gmbh
• Fresenius Medical Care Ag & Co Kgaa
• Fresenius Medical Care Ag

Inventors

• Hitzelberger Christoph
• Witt Waldemar
• Pospiech Martin

Classifications

• G06F3/0383

  Signal control means within the pointing device · CPC title

• G06F3/03545

  Pens or stylus · CPC title

• G06F3/03542

  Light pens for emitting or receiving light · CPC title

• G06F3/0304

  Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means (constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042) · CPC title

• A61M2205/502

  User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards · CPC title